Precious - Plastic - Review
– Work in progress –
Audiences ## Community
Marketplace “Bazar”
The Bazaar has been manipulated from the beginning in favor of PreciousPlastic-HQ and their friends (Bazar sellers, also working ‘voluntarily’ as moderators). Vendors and stakeholders have no say and need to agree to always changing rules. Essential communication outside of the Bazar is prohibited, PreciousPlastic-HQ is reading client communication and used that information for pay-up or else blackmail resulting in account suspension as we’ve seen with GBManufacturer right before Christmas, unable to comply with the extremely difficult new and imposed shipping and selling conditions.
In 2021, additional rules were implemented, seemingly favoring PreciousPlastic-HQ but detrimentally affecting vendors and buyers. This has added further complexity to the sales process. Critical elements like links and communication have been restricted even though proper product descriptions and communication have been key to past successes. Consequently, years of SEO and content efforts have been wiped from the web. Simultaneously, other significant vendors were removed abruptly or under dubious pretenses, while ‘friends’ suddenly took top positions with exorbitantly priced, low-quality copies. This isn’t the first instance where the ‘marketplace’ has been exploited against the community, such as falsely claiming high fees and maintenance costs when, in reality, most of these tasks could have been handled inexpensively.
The damages caused by these methods did cost the community jobs, innovation and potential projects. In over five cases, and counting, resulted even in bankruptcy, forcing vendors to work under extreme and inhuman conditions to recoup their investments and compete with these methods, at high risk.
Aside from manipulation, offers from India, China, and other developing countries have disappeared, raising questions about the project’s true purpose. Radical exclusion of minorities have been seen also in other places as the map, nearly 300 legit entries censored.
We reported these issues in 2022, leading to a 90% drop in Bazar sales (reviews stall since then as well). Due to the destructive measures against users and investors, we recommend using Etsy or Shopify instead. Professional sources advise staying unassociated with ‘PreciousPlastic,’ and given the current situation, we concur. Be aware that trade and communication is controlled by ‘machine sellers’, mostly proprietary nor any involvement in Opensource, support or development. In no instance of their interference we could speak of a positive impact. Raised concerns about the drastic and life-long consequences for machine builders, facing bankruptcy, lost of warranty and support for their clients have been answered by the owner, “Dave Hakkens” with “It’s your own fault to build on our thin ice”, or the community manager “If you can’t handle the heat, it’s your problem”. On Discord we’ve seen comments involving “Russia’s genocide” to justify the takedown of a longer involved key vendor. And it didn’t stop there, ‘privileged machine sellers’ recommended affected users to involve the court, going after the victims they created in the first place.
Considering that the ‘marketplace’ was funded by taxpayers, donations, and driven by community efforts, it’s plain shocking how many lives were knowingly and intentionally disrupted and damaged for the benefit of a few, using false justifications whilst introducing obstacles for anyone else. In our four years of presence, we attracted investors, setting the stage for future projects, standing out in every category. We now recognize the significance of a central marketplace, showcasing talents and products, simplifying the individual’s overhead dealing with e-commerce.
The companies profiting from this methods : Citizen Scientific Workshop (US), Sustainable Design Studio(UK), Capi-Spain(Spain), Atelier Recycleurs Fous and MadPlastic(FR) as well the so-called Headquarter, also acting as moderators, mainly silencing and censoring alternatives but also disrupting hundreds of fruitful discussions whenever possible, whilst profiteering from so called ‘back door sales’, known on the mainpage as ‘StarterKits’. Also here, we don’t know of any noteworthy contribution or positive changes throughout the last 4 years, on the contrary!
Community Platform
Academy
Map
The Territory
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intro
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continents
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names
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projects
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problems
Opensource
The term ‘Opensource’ has primarily been used as a marketing strategy to attract like-minded volunteers who actually perform the essential work. None of the remaining beneficiaries have actively engaged in Opensource initiatives or possess the capabilities to sustain the designs or platform. Out of the 100+ individuals who were involved over the past six years, only one or two have remained active.
I conducted a thorough examination of every file and line of code that passed through the project (and still maintain it). Out of the 2GB of publicly known designs, only a few files could be subject to scaling or redesign. The storage, structure, and formats made it nearly impossible to implement collaborative improvements. Furthermore, any attempts to present updated designs or tooling were met with censorship, hit-and-run harassment by promoted and proprietary Bazaar sellers.
The enthusiastic and like minded camp however that frequently shared new ideas fully disappeared between 2020-2021 with the introduction of the elite, imposing commercial interests instead. Since then, only a few and mostly useless designs have been shared, behind paywalls. Not surprised since important updates but also imperial conversions have been kept back for profits as well.
If you’re looking for passionate nerds, you’re clearly out of luck here! ‘Plastic Recycling’ and related activities however involve many different trades, perfectly subject to Opensource based tooling and optimization, ranging from custom PID controllers, sorting robots, PCBs, adaptive Filament winders, 3D-Print firmware and many more problems to be solved.
Fact-Checking
2023 - Impact Report
As a maintainer and investor closely monitoring trends and workspaces on a daily basis, we cannot confirm any of these numbers. Requests for evidence have resulted in censorship and bans. In fact, 2022 and 2023 marked the project’s worst years. The only meaningful data may be the counts of workspaces per country. The 250 workspaces reported for UK also lack every evidence. The UK Facebook group is literally dead since 2 years. I know of around 10 active workspaces so far. However, upon closer examination of the map and scrutiny of their social accounts, it’s evident that most workspaces are inactive or produce low-value items sold on Etsy or the PreciousPlastic Bazaar. We have seen only a dozen of such items reported on PreciousPlastic’s Discord ‘activity-channel’.
For instance, the claim of 180 tons of recycled plastic in South Africa and Kenya lacks credibility, as these organizations use entirely different approaches and industrial grade machinery such as proper extruders and granulators. Once again, Precious Plastic Headquarters is using every mean to claim credit for unrelated project successes as their own.
Another concerning and inaccurate assertion is that brands like Adidas, Google, Samsung, Corona, Ikea, McDonald’s, Mini, Vodafone, DHL, and Toyota are utilizing Precious Plastic. The designs lack every necessary features & quality. To our knowledge, only a few vendors, operating outside of PreciousPlastic have managed to address professional requirements, using entirely different designs. Same here, questions about have been censored and resulted in banning, in spite details about might have been very interesting, to everyone involved.
Once again, investors, and even their own users are being mislead, rendering it into plain fraud, leaving sooner or later investors in bankruptcy. It’s individuals, not companies being victim of this methods.
CE
PreciousPlastic proclaims its designs are in alignment with CE standards, essential for the legal operation of workshops and securing appropriate insurance. However, closer inspection of these designs uncovers a series of issues and violations. Attempts to acquire the necessary documentation resulted in bans, while the so called elite persistently marketed and sold these products on the ‘Bazar’ and as ‘Startkits’ on the project’s main page. We’re not surprised to see the alleged efforts being resold as part of the ‘PreciousPlastic Open-source Fund’. Plunging the community into a zone of legal uncertainty and grey areas is a common practice.The legal repercussions for users have been consistently minimized and ignored, coinciding with assertions that these designs are economical and accessible, often to the detriment and unforeseen expenses of the users. Please read more about in the ‘Machines’ section (price/value).
10k Discord users
Before 2020, when Discord was introduced, the forum had an impressive roster of 10,000 registered users. The arrival of Discord disrupted this vibrant community, degrading the project drastically, by reducing their ability to interact, contribute, or maintain articles. The changes have been introduced at the same time as new restrictions, and taxation of trade, by Mattia & Joseph Klatt, both with no prior background, relationship with users or the trade at hand. In return, out of the initial 10,000 members, only a handful remain active today. Senior and professional users experienced difficulty in navigating Discord, finding it challenging to engage meaningfully with content or establish connections, and finally left within the first months. The very shift turned the project into merely an update and advertising channel for PreciousPlastic, the company. Efforts were made to influence opinions and establish a display of authority by giving prominence to the beneficiaries and ‘Bazar’ sellers, who are also shown as ‘moderators’, 7 in total. Unfortunately, these very groups have shown little to no interest, passion or commitment, responding to user issues or suggestions, or the daily work or the project itself. The platform has not witnessed any substantial new code or content additions in years (we produce, accumulate and maintain Gigabytes, per month). Instead, the community is repeatedly addressing the same questions and issues with no apparent progress. Furthermore, users have been constantly exposed to screen filling logos, biased and misleading and/or incomplete advise. Critical viewpoints, alternatives and valuable suggestions have been either censored or ignored. For a subject of highly technical matter, we’re surprised to see not a single user with a related background engaging with the project. User content and relations has been and is being treated with the same attitude and absence of respect as all other key aspects.
[2023 Report]
Similar and not surprisingly, 350k in Bazar sales have been reported for 2023. Inspecting the data however confirms for not even 5% of this number. Questions about have been of course removed and the author banned.
Create a bussines from waste
"After providing extensive support over four years, totaling hundreds of hours, we find little to no credible evidence to support the claims made by PreciousPlastic. Most attempts have proven unsuccessful, leading to a widespread view that this initiative is more akin to a hobby than a professional endeavor. Despite this, PreciousPlastic continues to promote itself as a ‘solution to tackle plastic pollution’, often employing selective reporting and sensationalism, including instances of adolescents working in unhealthy conditions. However, most projects rely on grants, donations, and public funding. Success stories in producing high-quality sheets for instance often originate outside PreciousPlastic, utilizing different methods. For example, the count of professional sheet providers in the whole of Europe is less than 10.
Regarding ‘machine builders’, this aspect also falls short of expectations. It is a demanding and risky venture, operating in a legal gray area, and often faces competition from what some describe as the unfairly advantaged ‘elite’ in this field.
Feedback about the proposed ‘workspace model’ (collect, shredding, extrude, …), and all obvious short comings have been answered with inaction, censorship and even amusement by the ruling elite. The project has been left in a state of disarray, with no clear direction or purpose, and no apparent progress. Users are being mislead and exposed to a vague outcome. The exit rates are high. A user commented this with “it’s a coming and going, nobody stays long - don’t get to close”.
Criminal offenses
In the past six years, we’ve witnessed a wide range of unethical actions including defamation, brainwashing, indoctrination, slander, unfair competition, nepotism, coercive tactics, privacy violations, bullying, hit-and-run bans, and extensive censorship of differing opinions and options, including downplaying issues. It’s not surprising to see manipulated numbers and statistics used to attract largely uninformed users, often to the detriment of the community and investors. This approach also extends to the handling of user-generated content and contacts. Despite criticism, the company ‘PreciousPlastic’ demonstrates considerable ingenuity in maintaining its current course.
Ultimately, ‘PreciousPlastic’, also known as ‘realpreciousplastic’, could be characterized as a company that pursues profits aggressively, exploiting volunteer efforts and donations. This approach often places individuals and investors in frequent risky situations, reflecting a disregard for responsibility and community welfare.
Prospect
The ‘machines’
After extensive testing, building, redesigning, and fixing nearly a hundred models, we conclude that none of the known versions are recommendable, with the possible exception of the v3 extruder for hobbyists. We’ve witnessed numerous instances where initial investments, often in the 5-6 digit range, evaporated due to bankruptcy, leaving only a fraction of the value. Material costs, initially a few hundred Euros per design, escalated to 10-20 times that amount. Be wary of expensive items on the Bazar, as top brands tend to sell these machines at exorbitant prices. To date, we’ve observed little to no reinvestment in the community or their own portfolios.
Shredders
The ‘basic shredder’ (v3)
Marketed as the ‘backbone’ of accessibility (180 Euro) and simplicity, the reality is that it costs between 2000 - 3000 Euros to build properly, in compliance with workshop regulations. Feedback is mostly ‘disappointing’, particularly due to its cutting diameter leading to frequent jamming. The required 3kW power has been reduced to 1.5 kW by major suppliers since 2021, during the takeover of the ‘elite’. However, the design is unstable and unsafe, requiring the operator to push objects into the chamber. Knives, even when made of harder materials like stainless steel or Hardox, wear out quickly. Given the risks and poor price/value ratio, we advise buying a second-hand grinder at a fraction of the cost on Ebay or other machine trader outlets.
Alternatively, consider the mini version at OSR - Shredder - v3.1 Light. It doesn’t need a motor and operates smoothly with minimal effort.
In most cases, collecting, cleaning, and shredding can and should be avoided due to the tedious and excessive labor involved. Check GoogleMaps for local plastic suppliers. Average prices are around 500-700 Euros per metric ton.
To avoid:
- Hand-cranked dual axis shredders
- Hand-cranked v3.x shredders
- Oversized v3.x shredders
The ‘pro’ version (v4)
This model has proven problematic in several aspects and is very costly (up to 10,000 Euros). Avoid building or purchasing it at all costs.
- Unstable chamber, unsuitable for the necessary 3kW - 4kW power
- Difficult and dangerous to clean or assemble
- Challenging to operate
- Time-consuming and complex to build, requiring lifting equipment
- Mesh (screen) can easily damage the shredder due to congestion
- Steel and even Hardox blades deteriorate rapidly
- Not suitable for professional use
- Plastic often gets trapped between blades, increasing friction significantly
- Inadequate structure/framework
- Claims of CE conformity are unsubstantiated, as with all other machines
We recommend not building or purchasing this model. For a similar price, you can acquire a secondhand grinder and a new shredder instead.
Injectors
The very design has been praised for its simplicity and low cost. Feedback unveiled later complications and safety issues. Even commercial and further developed designs have proven unsuited for commercial or professional activities.
Extruders
The ‘basic’ version (v3) when done properly are suited to produce baskets, art objects and beams. The claim of producing ‘filament’ however had to be corrected hundreds of times. Material fees, including commercial grade options vary from 500 - 1500 Euros.
The ‘pro’ version can escalate quickly up to 10000 Euros whilst adding little no significant performance or durability benefits. Material bill varies from 1500 - 3000 Euros. Most offers use mildsteel barrel which can be damaged quickly with a tiny piece of metal debris.
Both designs are unsuited for professional activities. A proper extruder can be found often for a fraction of the price on second hand machine trader places.
Buying tips:
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v3 extruder: should have thrust bearings, and at least 1.5kW motor power
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v4 extruder: barrel needs to be in hardened materials, and 4kW motor power
Sheetpress
There have been various issues reported about the sheetpress:
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This machine requires precision machining (cartridge heaters, rails, frame)
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Structural issues, creating uneven pressure across the press plates, resulting in uneven thickness
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Expensive to build. Realistic costs to build it in an acceptable quality are somewhere at 6000 - 10000 Euro. 15000 Euro with all features and safety measures.
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Issues with heat distribution, resulting in warped sheets
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Inefficient heating
Our recommendation: please wait for a better design but also better documentation
Conclusions
PreciousPlastic has been mostly a very disappointing and costly experience, for many. It’s been kept as financial instrument, and at comfortable levels of the ruling owners and a few selected profiteers, in all aspects (knowledge and trade). It targets and exploits specifically uninformed people, for profits. Til today we haven’t seen a single effort to improve the situation or lower damages, and even support the community. We experienced it as one of the most toxic places and projects throughout 30 years working similar projects and contexts. It fails to address real-world needs, as recycling, craftsmanship and education.